Pick-up and loading machine



Ap 4, 1939- 0.01. CHAFFINS PICK-UP AND LOADING MACHINE Filed ec. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .C/yde .L chaff/m INVENTUR ATT NEY

April 4, 1939. c. J. cHAFFlNs PICK-UP AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Dc.

22, 1934 4 Shets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR A-TTCZR'NEY April 4, 1939.

c. J. CHAFFINS 2,153,037

PICK-UP AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Clyde J Chaffl'ns JNVENTOR ATT NEY Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in road building equipment and is primarily intended for use for salvaging roadway ballast.

The invention may also be used for the digging of fill material and for maintaining drainage ditches open and free running.

The invention is adapted for use and placement in conjunction with self-propelled trucks now in general use.

I provide an elevating and digging device place: able upon a platform adapted to be moved transversely of the frame of the truck. Means is provided formounting a prime mover, as a gas engine, upon this movable platform, An elevating and digging device is pivotally mounted relative to the movable frame and a gathering head is hingedly secured to the lower end of the digging and elevating frame. The digging and elevating frame is tiltably mounted relative to a supporting shaft and the same may be tilted against a reactance means to adapt the same for picking up waste aggregate and waste ballast that isdisposed at varying elevations relative to that of the roadway over which the truck is to be propelled and upon which my new and improved device is mounted.

The salvaged or dug material is deposited in a hopper and from the hopper a telescopic chute delivers the material salvaged or dug upon a conveyor. The conveyor is so arranged that it will deliver the material deposited thereupon at either side of the roadway. It is also so arranged that it may be deposited from the conveyor into a receiving truck that is disposed at the rear of the truck upon which the device is mounted, and as the truck upon which the device is mountedmoves forward, the truck receiving the material is backed up at the rear thereof. This is of fundamental importance in the operation of my device as it is essentially necessary that the travel be. maintained over the highway upon which the device is being used and for that reason the receiving truck and digging and. elevating truck are both moved in one trafiic lane of the highway to thereby leave the adjacent main trafiic free for trafiic thereover. Therefore in the use of my new and improved device, in a two lane highway, traffic is only partially interrupted in its operation thereover.

The telescopic chute leading from the receiving hopper to the conveyor is so arranged that the delivery of the material being salvaged and/or dug may be delivered at either side of the highway or at the rear of the truck upon which my new and improved device is mounted.

The primary purpose and object of my invention is to salvage ballast material and to deliver the same in a truck that is being backed up at the rear of the truck upon which my new and improved device is mounted.

A further object of my invention consists in so constructing the device that it may be'moved transversely of the truck to provide a gathering head adapted for movement over the shoulder of the highway and to pick up surplus aggregate material arranged therealong and in parallel relationship with the edge of the paved highway over which the device is to be propelled.

And a further object of my invention consists in providing a device that may be used for the salvaging of surplus ballast and one that may also be used for digging material along the bank of the highway and one that may be used with equal facility for maintaining ditches and canals adjacent the highway open and in suitable condition for drainage of water flowing therethrough and therealong.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a partof this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my new and improved device shown mounted upon a truck and aside elevation of a truck being loaded by the device. The two trucks are secured together back to back and as the truck moves forward upon which my device is mounted, the truck being loaded is backed up.

Fig. 2 is a detailed side elevation of my new and improved device.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my new and improved device.

Fig. ,4 is a sectional end view of the elevating and digging device. This view is taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated. This view is made to primarily illustratethe shoe disposed at the bottom end of the front of the digging device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional end view of the truck frame and a side view of the frame mounted thereupon and upon which the digging device and the prime mover are mounted. This view is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional end view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5. This view is taken on line 8|i of Fig. 5, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the drive disposed between the prime mover and the digging and the elevated device. This view is taken on line 'I'| of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional end view of the gathering shoe frame. This view is taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

My device is primarily intended for use in highway and road building construction in which a surplus of ballast material is or has been spread in developing the shoulders of the highway. When used for this class of work the material to be reclaimed isdisposed in rows upon the surface grade by a blade or other tool in parallel alignment with that of the pavement over which the gathering truckis to be run.

By the removal of the shoe or shoes disposed at the bottom of the elevated and digging ladder my device may be used in highway and roadway building for digging fill material and for removing banks and shoulders disposed adjacent the roadway or at the curves for removing blind corners.

To a very limited extent it may be used as a trenching machine for vmaintaining water ways along the highway open and in suitable drain condition.

My device is primarily adapted for placement upon a truck I of any conventional type. The side frames of the truck are shown at 2 and 3. I secure pairs of guide brackets 4 and 5 to the top side of each of the frame members 2 and 3 and secure a pair of structural members 5 and I to the frame and secure the same in place by fastenings that pass through the brackets 4 and 5 and through the members 6 and I. rangement forms a channel way between the bracket and the members 5 and I through which the secondary frames 8 and 8 move-and upon which the digging and elevating device and the prime mover are mounted and which facilitates the movement of the same transversely of the truck.

Threaded members as bolts I and IDA illustrated in Fig. '3 run transversely of the truck frame and have one of their ends secured to a thrust collar ii that is disposed upon the outside of the secondary frame, and their other end disposed through nuts l3 and |3A, that are secured to the structural members 6 and 1 respectively. The outer end |2 of the bolt is so fashioned that a wrench or other instrument may be adapted thereto for rotating the bolt. Since the nuts i3 and |3A are welded or otherwise secured to the transverse members and 1 when the bolts l0 and "IA are rotated the movable frame member upon which the prime mover and digging and elevating members are mounted are moved transversely of the truck. A platform I4 is mounted upon the movable frame'upon which any suitable prime mover as a gas engine may be mounted.

The main shaft or other driving shaft of the prime mover is directly and removably secured to the shaft 5, that is journaled within. any suitable bearings as illustrated at IS. A sprocket I8 is mounted upon the shaft l5. A shaft I8 is This armounted within the secondary frame and a drive sprocket is disposed upon a sleeve ISA, the sleeve in turn being mounted upon the shaft l9. This construction is best shown in Fig. '7. Any suitable drive element as a chain 2| is trained about the respective sprockets l8 and 2|).

A structural frame 22 is pivotally mounted relative to the sub-frame assembly that is adapted to be moved transversely of the truck. The same is pivotally mounted upon the shaft IS. A bracket 24 is secured to the frame 22 and a bracket 25 is secured to the movable transverse sub-frame. A threaded member 26 passes through the respective brackets 24 and 25 and a compressible element as a coil spring 21 is disposed about the bolt and rests upon its respective ends upon the brackets 24 and 25.

When the bottom of the gathering head or the bottom of the elevating and digging conveyor strikes an obstruction, the reactance means 21 embodied in the compression spring acts as a shock absorber and permits the elevating frame to yield in passing over the obstruction and returns the elevator to its normal position after the obstruction has been passed.

Shafts 28 and 28 are mounted and journaled within the respective ends of the frame 22 and pairs of sprockets 30 and 3| are mounted upon the respective shafts 28 and 29. A bucket conveying chain 32 is trained about the respective pairs of sprockets 38 and 3| and a plurality of buckets 33 are spaced along and secured to the chain. A sprocket 34 is secured to the shaft 28 and a sprocket 35 is secured to the sleeve ISA and a driving element as a sprocket chain 35 is trained about the respective sprockets 34 and 35 and this imparts a driving relation to the digging and elevating bucket line as the-shaft l5 is irotated by the prime mover mounted upon the platform H.

The receiving hopper ,31 is mounted upon any suitable supports 38 that are secured to the bucket frame 22. The lower end 39 of the receiving hopper 31 is made circular and a chute 48' is secured thereto and is rotatable relative thereto. A conveyor 4| is mounted upon a frame The frame 42 is hingedly secured to upright supports 43. The upright supports 43 are secured to a turntable 44 and the tilting of the conveyor 4| to the desired angle of elevation is accomplished by a strut 45 that connects the platform 44 with the frame 42 of the conveyor. The adjustment is accomplished by placing a plurality of spaced holes 46 in the frame 42 and the connection is made between the structure and the frame by any suitable fastening pins 41.

The platform 44 is supported upon any suitable base 48 that is raised in elevated position relative to the truck frame by any suitable supporting strut 49. A king bolt 50 terminates the lower end of the platform 44 and passes through the base 48. The chute delivers the material from the collecting hopper 31 and discharges the same directly upon the conveying belt 4|. A platform 52 outwardly extends from the conveyor frame 42 and any suitable prime mover as a gas engine is mounted thereupon. The prime mover is not here shown. The shaft 53 is directly driven by the. prime mover and this shaft 53 has a suitable drum 54 mounted thereupon. A second shaft 55 disposed at the opposite end of the frame 42 has a' drum 58 disposed thereupon. The shaft 55 is journaled within any suitable journal blocks 55 and suitable working tension is maintained upon the belt 4| through the use of an adjustable tlghtener screw 51 that is associated with the journal blocks 56.

In the use of my new and improved device for salvaging ballast material disposed along the right of way, it is highly desirable that trafiic be maintained along the'highway during the salvaging process. For this reason the truck to receive the salvaged material is preferably run in the same line of trailic of the highway as that over which the truck I is being driven upon which my salvaging equipment is mounted.- This may be best accomplished as illustrated in Fig. 1, where the truck has a receiving truck59 placed in juxtaposition with the truck I and a registerable spaced relation is maintained between the respective trucks by any suitable equalizer bar 60 that is secured upon its respective ends to receiving supports 8i and 82 that are secured to the end rail of the respective truck frames. This permits the follower truck 59 to be maintained in spaced relation with that of the salvaging truck I, and to use the same in propelling the truck I during the loading operation where heavy digging and where grades are to be encountered. The conveying ladder frame 42 should be suilicient in length to deliver the salvaged material substantially central of the bed 63 of the truck 59.

It is highly desirable also to have the conveying belt be so positioned as to deliver the material at either side of the truck I or at the rear end thereof and for that reason the chute 40 should be telescopic in its nature to adapt the same to the conveying ladder irrespective of the angle "to.

which the same is to be inclined or to its position relative to that of the longitudinal alignment of the truck frame I.

A gathering head is disposed at the bottom end of the digging frame 22 and the same is preferably made of a pair of shoes 64 and 65, best illustrated in Fig. 4. These gathering shoes have outwardly and forwardly extending mold boards 66 and 61 that are spaced substantially wider at their forward ends than the width of the bucket disposed within the frame 22. A pair of cheek plates 68 and B9 are secured to the ladder 22. These cheek plates have stub shafts I8 and II that inwardly extend and pass through the side frames of the ladder 22. The same are held in position relative thereto by placing a locking nut 12 upon their inner ends and by placing a looking pin 13 on the inner end of the stub shaft II. The side frames 64 and 65 of the head are secured thereto and as the frame 22 is tilted to position the head relative to the surface over which the same is'to travel these shoes and gathering head members may be made to remain parallel relative to the grade, over which the same pass, by supplying stabilizing arms 14 and 15 that are secured to the respective side frame members. The sidebars of the gathering head have a, plurality of spaced holes 16 disposed thereon and positioning pin 16A passes through the stabilizing arms and through the respective holes 16 to thereby position the gathering head in surface alignment with the surface over which it may be made to pass.

It may be found desirable to place runners 11 and 18 upon the outside of the side bars of the gathering head to thereby facilitate the same moving and sliding over the supporting surface.

A worm wheel 19 is mounted upon the frame 22 and a worm 88 coacts therewith. The worm is adapted for manual actuation by having the worm mounted upon a driving shaft 8i. The

driving shaft 8I is actuated by a hand wheel 82 and the hand wheel 82 is placed adjacent the cab 83 of the truck I by having a pair of universal Joints 84 and 85 disposed within the shaft. The shaft upon which the hand wheel 82 and the worm are mounted is held in alignment and position by a series of bearings 86, 81 and 88. v

Where my device is to be used for the opening of drainage ditches along the highway it will be necessary to place the ladder and bucket assembly at a lower elevation. This may be accomplished by placing a plurality of holes 89 in the side frames 22 through which the axle I9 may be passed. When the device is to be used for this purpose the gathering heads and shoes are removed from the lower end of the digging and elevating assembly. When this has been accomplished it is necessary to place one or more additional brackets 90 on the frame 22 through which the bolt 26 may be made to pass.

A spline joint 9| is disposed in the shaft 8| adjacent the bearing block 88 to permit partial rotation of the frame 22 and yet permit adjustment of the frame 22 in one way, namely in the direction of compression of the spring 21. The end of the spline joint 9| abuts the bearing block 86 thus limiting the forward displacement of the shaft 8| but permitting free rearward displace-' ment of the shaft 8I.

While I have shown and described my device as primarily intended for use in salvaging ballast material 'along the highway I do not wish to be limited in the application of the same for this purpose as it may be used for picking up windrowed material for being placed on new oil bound macadam where the same is to be deposited in front of the truck in the normal operation of the same in the placing of a cover coating upon the newly laid binder material as bitulithic and other oily and sticky material that is used or may be used in binding wearing aggregate being placed upon our main highways. The device may also be used in picking up any surplus material that may develop in the construction and maintenance of highways.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it isnot intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with two self-propelled trucks, of means for securing the trucks together back to back, digging, elevating and'conveying instrumentalities mounted upon one of the trucks, said digging and elevating apparatus being mounted at one side of the truck and a receiving bed mounted upon the other of the trucks so that as one of the trucks is propelled in a forward direction materials may be dug and delivered into the other of the trucks as the same is propelled in a backing up direction.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of two self-propelled trucks secured together back to back, one to be propelled in a forward direction and the other to be propelled in a backing up direction and both to be driven in the same line of traffic on a highway, digging, elevating and conveying instrumentalities mounted upon one of the trucks and at one side thereof,

and a receiving bed mounted upon the other of the trucks.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a. pair of self-propelled vehicles se- CU'JBCI together back to back, gathering, digging, elevating and conveying instrumentalities disposed upon one of the vehicles and a receiving dump body disposed upon the other of the vehicles and means for engaging and disengaging the vehicles one with the other to maintain the two vehicles in spaced juxtaposition with each other and in alignment in their course of travel.

CLYDE J. CHAFFINS. 

